" In Christ " in Paul

Nearing thirty-five years ago, E. P. Sanders famously stated that the center of thought within Paul's theology is participatory in nature - which, of course, caused no small debate within broad strands of Pauline scholarship. Sanders also suggested that we have no modern conception of what this thought might mean for us today. These two axioms of Sanders loosely organize the essays in this volume which seek to explore the complex notions of union and participation within Pauline theology through exegesis, highlights in reception history, and theological reflection. This collection of essays aims at teasing out the complex web of meaning conveyed through Paul's theological vision of union and participation - both in their relationship and in their distinction with one another. Taken as a whole, this edited volume constitutes a multi-disciplinary reflection and exploration of Paul's theological vision of participation and union. But it is precisely as a multi-disciplinary exploration that this volume hopes to chart new ground and make new connections within Pauline thought with the hope that further research might contest and/or clarify its findings.